The days are at their longest, produce is at its finest, and the warm weather is beckoning you to leave your kitchen, get outside, and enjoy the summer to its fullest. Winter is for laboring over an intensive multi-step recipe. Summer is for following a friendly anecdote from a trusted source that will produce a glorious fresh dish with a minimum of effort and a maximum of flavor. So, don’t roll up your sleeves (hopefully you’re not wearing any . . . hey, it’s hot out there!) and follow these favorite two-sentence recipes from Workman’s panel of cooking experts.
Grilled and Spiced Sweet Corn with Lime
Being a Minnesota boy, nothing screams summer to me more than sweet corn! Shuck and grill the cobs to slightly blister the kernels, then sprinkle some salt and ground red pepper into softened butter (high quality, please!), smear the cobs with the spiced butter, and pass along wedges of lime for a citrus burst.
—Raghavan Iyer, author of the forthcoming Smashed, Mashed, Boiled, and Baked—and Fried, Too!
Easy Eggplant Appetizer
Fry 1/4-inch-thick eggplant slices in olive oil until crisp, drain thoroughly, and arrange on a large platter. Sprinkle with feta cheese and finely chopped garlic, drizzle with balsamic dressing (store bought or homemade), top with chopped cilantro, and serve with pita bread.
—Judy Bart Kancigor, author of Cooking Jewish
Zucchini and Sweet Corn Pasta with Ricotta and Chile Oil
Sauté sliced red onion, garlic, and zucchini until tender and golden, adding sweet corn off-the-cob, toasted pine nuts, and a handful of fresh basil to finish. Toss with pasta, a half cup or so of starchy and salty pasta water, and a knob of butter; top with a scoop of ricotta, more fresh basil, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, and a drizzle of chile oil.
—Cara Mangini, author of The Vegetable Butcher
Grilled Shrimp and Cherry Tomatoes
My favorite quick summer dish is grilled shrimp and cherry tomatoes on a skewer. Brush with olive oil and grill on both sides until the tomatoes begin to crack, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and finish with a squeeze of lemon or lime.
—Richard Grausman, author of French Classics Made Easy
Watermelon Smoothie
For a delicious and super-hydrating drink that is perfect after spending a little too much time in the sun, buy a watermelon (eat as much of it as you can right away). Then, cube and freeze the leftovers and blitz the frozen watermelon in the blender with some vanilla, a little lime juice, or honey.
—Leanne Brown, author of Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4/Day
Grapefruit Rosé
My current obsession is grapefruit rosé both because it’s delicious and a cinch to make. Simply add an ounce of fresh grapefruit juice (I like to sweeten it just a tad with honey) to 5 ounces of rosé wine and, voilà, the best wine cocktail you’ve never had!
—Kat Odell, author of Day Drinking
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